One of the biggest challenges for retailers is preventing crime against their business and dealing with the aftermath when it does occur. Below we assess how Body Worn Video solutions can improve retail companies' and their workers' safety and security.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) recently published their annual crime report, highlighting several worrying trends in retail crime. 72% of all retail workers have experienced verbal abuse whilst at work, and 39% of staff have suffered an injury due to assault or other crime - a staggering 13,437 injuries.
Retailers indicated that violence against their staff was their number one concern, with staff suffering from the emotional and physical effects these confrontations cause and generally feeling unsafe in stores.
Worryingly, figures released by the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) suggest that there has been a 47% increase in violence against retail staff in the last year.
The primary triggers for violence towards staff are well-known - team challenging shop thieves, enforcing age-restricted policies and refusing to serve alcohol to already intoxicated customers. Protecting vulnerable workers in these situations has to be a priority.
Body Worn Cameras are proven to reduce conflict, improve personal safety and help secure criminal prosecutions by providing encrypted and tamper-proof video and audio evidence.
WCCTV's market-leading Body Worn Cameras are fully designed and manufactured in the UK, boast a wide range of best-in-class functionality and are currently in use by the UK's leading supermarkets. Since deploying the cameras, the stores have seen a dramatic reduction in incidents of aggression towards their staff.
The WCCTV Body Worn Camera (Record) captures audio and video on the move. With High Definition playback up to 1080p, up to 30 frames per second, and all footage date, time and GPS location stamped, you can be sure of evidential integrity.
The WCCTV Body Worn Camera (Connect)+ is a multi-award-winning body worn camera offering live transmission of video, audio, real-time alerts and GPS information via 4G/3G Wi-Fi connectivity.
Both devices feature a 2.8" front-facing screen, which is proven to de-escalate aggressive situations and reduce conflict.
WCCTV provides its Body Worn Cameras as part of a complete body worn video solution, including Evidence Management Software that allows the user to manage and store the videos taken by their cameras.
EMS is provided as a Cloud-based platform allowing for complete scalability and flexibility.
For more information on how we can help your retail business protect staff and improve in-store safety, contact us at 0800 470 4630 or email sales@wcctv.com to arrange a demonstration or free no-obligation trial.